Of Cats, Bells and Pink Ribbons
by chquine-harvinellisse
Summary: "...She is afraid of me because I am an unknown variable to her."


**I do not own League of Legends.**

**This fanfic is more of a drabble and I really don't know what I did here but thank you for taking the time to check it out anyway... XD**

**Thoust hast been warned... XD**

**Enjoy! =D**

* * *

Their world is divided: the East and the West.

The East is tundra; blanketed in snow and bathed in white: the color of purity. It is the domain of the Fire Sorceress. It was given to her as a gift, so that the land could emphasize the extent of her power. Her fire warms the people under her jurisdiction and those who oppose her are burned by the very same fire.

The West is a deep and dark forest; filled with trees that seem to moan in the still air and drowning in black: the color of despair. It is the domain of the Wicked Fairy. She set off on her own and fed the dismal soil with her magic. Here there are only two rules: do not upset the Wicked Fairy and do not disrespect the homes of other people. Once one of those rules is broken then the offended is free to do whatever he pleases.

Concerning the Wicked Fairy, it is known that has a penchant for cats and thus she has a vast amount of them at her disposal. Black cats with pink silk ribbons around their necks and bells that announce their coming. Sometimes these clueless felines wander off to the East and they do not come back. When it first happened, the Wicked Fairy was so enraged that she conjured a storm that covered the skies of the East and the West. Black rain poured from the heavens and the pristine snow turned black and ugly.

As a resolution, the Fire Sorceress took it upon herself to find the cat and return it to the grieving Fairy. Once the cat has been returned, the sky became clear once more and the black rain that plagued the snow of the East fled back from whence they came.

Since then it has been a rule to return the cats to the border between the East and the West, so the disaster of Wicked Fairy shall not take place again. When the sound of bells pierce the howling of the winter winds, then it means that one of the Fairy's felines have run off again.

And that is exactly what Kennen, one of the Fire Sorceress' Peace Keepers, finds when he hears the faint sound of a bell. He immediately leaves the whetstone where he has been sharpening his throwing stars. The small wooden door of his shack opens to reveal a black cat looking up to him with its small yellow eyes.

The feline purrs and licks its paw before turning back expectantly to the Peace Keeper before it. It surprises Kennen as he has not yet encountered one of the Wicked Fairy's cats before. The Fire Sorceress had only asked them to return the cats once they were found and she did not say anything more.

But the black cat seems to want something from him. He can see it in those mysterious eyes. The young Peace Keeper believes that one can see a multitude of messages in one's eyes alone.

Despite his extensive training in such an area, he is not equipped with the necessary knowledge to read a cat's mind. The Fire Sorceress is not fond of cats, because she was forced to wear a cat's ear ornament on her head and thus cats are not found at the East.

Sighing behind his mask, Kennen retreats back to his home; gets a small bowl and a glass of milk. He is informed enough that cats are fond of milk. He returns to the cat which emits a lively meow before licking at the creamy concoction.

He has not heard of the other Easterns feeding one of the Wicked Fairy's cats and should he be seen, his actions will be frowned upon. The large land space that the Fire Sorceress has granted Peace Keepers with serves as a veil for his bizarre act.

The black cat goes around the bowl and gets closer to Kennen who stretches out his hand for it to lick. The feline purrs as he pets it with his gloved hand. The cold isn't forgiving, even to his furry hands.

"Did you like the milk?" He asks the feline, in a hoarse voice; it meows and closes its bright yellow eyes. "Let's get you home then." He picks up the cat through the space between its forelegs and back legs. Once secure in his arms, the cat rubs itself on his chest and purrs, long and satisfying before Kennen jumps and makes haste for the borderland.

Given his small stature, it is easier for him to be nimble and it compensates for his short legs that cannot cover long jumping distances. Thankfully, the towering pine trees of the East are huddled together and help him to traverse quickly. The cat doesn't seem to be bothered by the cold and he figures that it is because of the Wicked Fairy's magic.

The snow on the trees start to appear less and less and soon, the dry and cracked earth that separates the East from the West is in sight. It covers a small area, but stretches through to make the distinction between the two regions blatant.

Kennen has never been to the border. And the darkness of the forest that is the West is indeed an intimidating sight. There is no air, but the dead branches move and moan as if they are under the command of it. He feels a chill run down his spine and even though the East is just behind him, its air gently breathing on his clothes, he knows that it is not from the cold.

He jumps down from the tree, making snow fall onto the border's soil. It surprises him that the snow sizzles out, as if the soil is too hot. The same can be said for the pile of snow that has made their purchase in his soles. He does not feel the scorching heat through the leather of his boots and he does not feel warm at all despite being covered in fur and clothed from head to toe.

The cat turns to him and meows once more before jumping off his arms and walking towards the direction of the West. It stops a step away from the dark green grass and mud and meows, as if beckoning someone from there to meet with it. Sitting down, the feline proceeds to lick its paws and then its forelegs.

Kennen, against his better judgment and the fear of the unknown West, waits for whoever the cat has called. He stands there, motionless until the branches of the trees right in front of him move in a rhythmic manner. The branches join one another and seem to fuse together to form one large branch. In the Peace Keeper's opinion, the trees seem to be moving from their spots and coming closer to each other.

The large branch coils on itself and depresses on its middle, giving the impression of a shallow cup, like the ones where he puts the water for his whetstone on. He waits as the cat stops licking itself and waits with its tail swishing to and fro.

A figure suddenly appears from in between the trees. It's no taller than him, but has a very large hat with two sharp sections curling backwards; giving the impression of horns. The figure stops for a bit and then approaches them at a rapid pace. He manages to make out a pair of yellow eyes, like the cat's, and a wooden staff in the hands of an effeminate being.

He takes in the black robes with red linings and the violet hair. The extended affection towards the cat confirms his prior hypothesis.

But never in his life did he think that he would meet the Wicked Fairy in the flesh.

Her piercing yellow eyes turn blank at the sight of him. She picks up the cat in one arm and grabs her staff in the other. Tapping the end of her staff to the cracked soil, it floats horizontally and she rides it to the coiled branch formed by a collective of trees. Once there, the Fairy puts her staff down and strokes the feline's fur unconsciously.

"You've fed one of my cats," she remarks apathetically. "That is a deed I have yet to see an Eastern do to any being from the West."

"Am I to be punished?" He asks fearlessly. He had always thought that the Wicked Fairy would be more intimidating, but one could easily mistake her for his kind. And his kind, the Yordles, is known for being amiable creatures.

She turns to the cat in her arms and replies, "No. You will not be punished." She turns to him abruptly and releases the cat which jumps off from tree to tree and disappears into the woods. "An act of kindness is not to be repaid with an act of cruelty," she recites almost robotically.

Kennen cannot help but see sadness underlying in her bright yellow eyes. She is not a cat and thus, she is easier to read. "Will you show me kindness then?"

Nodding, the Fairy replies, "Of course. I am not as wicked as most of you think I am." She turns away from him and to the tree behind her. "Maokai," she addresses the tree, "May I have one of your leaves?"

A deep and fearsome voice comes immediately to reply, "Of course." On the Fairy's staff the leaf starts to materialize.

The process is mesmerizing to behold for Kennen. The midrib is formed first and then it grows the veins from itself. The outline of the leaf starts at the tip of the midrib and from there the spaces in between the veins are filled with a crisp color of green.

"Thank you," the Fairy says as she takes it into her hands. Blowing on it, the leaf starts to float away from her hand and towards the sky. The small leaf is then wrapped in a white light, dotted with flowers of every color of the rainbow. A smaller burst of light, akin to a falling star wildly zips around the light and increases in speed.

It is all too much for the Peace Keeper to see, but he keeps watch anyway. It isn't everyday that he sees something extraordinary such as a burst of wonderful colors.

Finally, the light explodes quietly, not too bright and not too big. Flowers and specks of glittering purple light fall from it and dissipate to nothingness as they hit the border's soil. Slowly, the leaf—now in the shape of a throwing star—descends towards the Fairy's waiting hands.

It is not different from his other throwing stars, except for the white cloth tied to the hole at the middle. The throwing star lands on her palms and she is lowered by the branches towards Kennen.

The Fairy hands it to him and says, "You will never miss with this. It will know your mark and it will follow it until you are satisfied."

Dumfounded, he can only manage, "Thank you."

With that she makes a move to leave. The Peace Keeper is somewhat disquieted by this and he calls out, "Wait." When she slightly turns her head towards him, he asks, "Can I know your name?"

He gets her undivided attention as the branch uncoils and starts to separate. The trees move away from one another and go back to their respective places. "I am the Wicked Fairy of the West, is that not known to you?"

"I…" he starts, "I don't believe that's your real name…"

Her eyes widen at that, the first true indication that she is not apathetic. Regaining her composure in a second, she says, "Then you are the second one to think so. You may call me out when you come by the border. All you need to do is call me by name."

Kennen nods and says, "I am honored."

"And I am Lulu," she smirks. She mounts her staff again and says, "It is nice to meet you, Kennen."

With that she leaves. The Peace Keeper stands there for a few more moments before he regains the feeling in his legs and makes his journey back to the East.

* * *

The snow comes in flurries of white and gray. The wind is loud and lamenting at the disobedience of one.

Kennen plants his foot firmly on the deep snow; his height significantly decreases. The culprit chose an unfavorable time to run away from the Fire Sorceress' Peace Keepers. He strains his eyes. The unruly will not be able to get far with the storm no matter how fast or dexterous he may be.

His comrades have spread out, attempting to force the unruly to a corner. It will take a while, given the harsh weather. He continues trudging on. Thankfully, the Fire Sorceress provided them with a charm that will make them impervious to the harsh cold, but she has given nothing to allow them to see past the blizzard.

The howling of the winds grows louder and the tracks become scarcer. They could wait for the unruly to become tired or to fall down from the cold, but who knows how long that will take? The Fire Sorceress' charm may not last that long. As powerful as she is, she has limits as well.

Kennen fingers the holster of his throwing stars, just in case he manages to see a trace of the unruly. Straining his eyes again, he manages to see a sliver of brown amidst the flurry of white and gray. Suddenly, he is filled with renewed vigor and he runs as fast as he can to catch the unruly.

The cloaked figure desperately tries to make more distance between him and his pursuer. A considerable distance still stands between them, but knowing one of the Fire Sorceress' Peace Keepers then the distance will be null. The sound of footsteps becomes louder and louder and panic courses through the veins of this unruly.

The snow on the ground starts to grow thinner and thinner as the ground gets higher and higher. No matter how fast the Peace Keeper in pursuit might be, once the snow is no longer a hindrance to the unruly the chase will be in vain. He starts to get desperate and so, Kennen throws one of his weapons towards the fleeing unruly, but he misses and the throwing star finds purchase on the snow.

He continues throwing one after another to the unruly, hoping that one of his comrades will hear it and help in the pursuit. But he is running out of throwing stars and his prey is getting farther and farther away from him.

Left with no other choice, he grabs the throwing star hidden in the folds of his robe. He takes it out and aims for the runaway's leg. Without a second thought, he throws the remaining weapon he has.

The throwing star finds it mark and the unruly falls to the snow, groaning at how Kennen's weapon has gone into his leg too deeply. Triumphant, the Peace Keeper pulls out his whistle and blows on it before moving to apprehend the captured unruly. Soon, the other Peace Keepers arrive and they help him to bring the unruly to the Fire Sorceress' cave.

Discreetly, he removes the throwing star from his target's leg and realizes that it's the one that the Wicked Fairy, Lulu, gave to him. He puts it back in the folds of his robe and follows his comrades as they bring the unruly to be burnt.

"I am very displeased," the Fire Sorceress remarks as she pets the head of her patched-up teddy bear. "I did not think you would betray me like that." Her voice sounds admonishing, but it is hard to tell whether she's being considerate or merely being cruel because of her high-pitched tone.

"Say what you want," the captured man spits out, barely making it close to her foot and one of the Peace Keepers pushes his head towards the ground. "I do not regret anything."

"Good," she smiles, leaning back and toying with the stuffed paw of her bear. "But that won't change my mind about you." She stands up; even her height is not intimidating. The hood of her feathered jacket falls back, revealing her pinkish hair and her merciless green eyes. She goes down the steps and approaches the unruly; the Peace Keepers step back simultaneously, aware that the Fire Sorceress is about to burn the man alive.

She lifts his chin and mutters with low glee, "Tibbers…"

Just like that, the bear in her hand releases sparks at the sewed places and she lets go of it immediately. The arms and legs of the bear grow in size; its torso and head come next. And a low growl is heard. The bear's eyes glow blue, like accumulated snow on the mountaintops. And it releases sparks of blue fire from its hands.

Whatever courage the unruly possessed is now all but gone as Tibbers stares down at it with fueled rage. The Fire Sorceress sits back into her throne and says, "Get him, Tibbers…"

Her cave is then filled with screams and the sound of fire burning flesh.

* * *

"Lulu."

He finds it quite discomforting to call someone out who might not heed his call. But she did say that he could call her whenever he wanted to meet with her. So he shakes off his discomfort and waits for the tiniest indication of movement from the trees.

Soon he sees the figure of her hat and staff approaching from the distance. It would seem that she won't be sitting on the collective trees this time. There is no movement of any kind from the trees.

"Kennen…" she says plainly, her eyes betraying nothing to him. "I see you have come quickly. Does the Fire Sorceress know that you have met with me?"

"No," he replies as he sits down on the cracked earth. "I came here to talk."

"So I see," she mimics his gesture albeit on the side of the West's meadow. "Has my gift been useful?"

Kennen nods. "I was able to apprehend someone because of it."

She puts her staff down in front of her and asks, "Why have you come here then?"

"I wanted to know," he starts, "Why are you called the Wicked Fairy?"

"Because the Fire Sorceress sees me to be someone wicked. I simply embraced the title she so graciously branded me with," she replies tersely. "It means nothing to me, but it does help me be feared."

He raises a brow at that. "You want to be feared?"

Lulu nods once. "Only by hypocrites who rely on their own understanding to judge. None of the beings under my jurisdiction see me as wicked and therefore they call me by my name."

The Fire Sorceress has never divulged her name to any of her subjects. She refuses to be addressed in any way other than her prestigious title. "Why?" He asks her.

Her head inclines to the side ever so slightly. "What are you asking?"

"Why do you let your subjects call you by name?" Kennen elaborates, eager to hear what her answer is. Until he encountered a black cat, he has never heard of what is happening to the Wicked Fairy of the West and to the beings under her jurisdiction.

"They will not trust someone they don't know past the formalities of titles," she replies simply. "There are many repercussions to revealing one's true name, but those are unavoidable."

"The Fire Sorceress has never mentioned her name to anyone," he remarks, a bit too sadly than he intended to.

She sighs but her face remains passively the same. "That is her nature. I must attend to something," she starts standing up. "My cats are in need of my care. Is there anything else you wish to ask?"

"Why are you so fond of cats?"

A sad smile passes through her face. "Because he came to me in the guise of a cat." And then it disappears, like dew in the morning.

And just like that, Lulu returns back to the forest the way she came.

* * *

The Fire Sorceress' cave is grand and there can be no doubt that it belongs to someone with an affinity to fire. The chandeliers made of ice overhead are ironically lit with orange flames; the walls have sporadically placed torches of wood that does not burn. At the very end is her throne, crafted out of wood and stone. It is shaped in the form of a seashell and has armrests carved into mermaids.

She sits on her throne, wearing the same winter clothes she is always seen wearing and her teddy bear is by her side. A smile is on her face as she reckons Kennen to approach her. "I won't hurt you," she says and her voice echoes throughout her cave.

Fearlessly, he approaches her. He has done nothing wrong to receive her punishment; nonetheless he stops at the foot of her throne and kneels on his right knee. The Fire Sorceress has made it clear that she is to be respected and revered by all of her subjects and thus it is customary to kneel on one's right knee when summoned to be in her presence.

"I am Kennen, at your service, Fire Sorceress," he recites, loud enough for her to hear but low enough to ensure respect is gleaned from his tone.

She leans back and unconsciously starts stroking her bear's back. "I was told that you're the one who immobilized the unruly. The gash on his leg came from your weapon, did it not?"

"It did," he bows his head.

Her gaze narrows at him. There is nothing particularly incredible about this Peace Keeper, and yet he managed to apprehend a runaway that's nearly out of his seeing range. "How did you manage to hit the unruly when the storm blinded all of the other Peace Keepers?"

He could have answered truthfully, but the tone in Lulu's voice yesterday tells him that he should not mention about his encounter with the alleged Wicked Fairy. Lying to the Fire Sorceress would invite his end and despite his speed, he cannot hope to outrun the other Peace Keepers.

"You are not a practitioner of magic, are you?" She asks him. "Because I can feel magic in you…"

"No I…" he stammers before finally deciding to go with the truth. "I managed to apprehend the unruly with a throwing star the Fairy gave me." He believes that there is nothing 'Wicked' about Lulu and thus she does not deserve to be addressed as such. "She gave it to me as a gift."

At this, the Fire Sorceress leans away from the back of her chair and clarifies in a raised tone, "The Wicked Fairy?"

Kennen does not nod and merely inclines his head.

"Interesting," she mutters. "What did you do to make her appear before you?"

"I fed one of her lost cats with milk," he replies truthfully. There doesn't seem to be a point in lying anymore. "She said that an act of kindness must be repaid with an act of kindness."

At this the Fire Sorceress' voice turns angry. "There is nothing in her that is kind!" The shadows behind her seem to grow eerier and larger. But then she sits back down on her throne. "The Wicked Fairy will never do anything out of kindness. There are too many things that cannot be trusted about her. Black is the color of despair and impurity."

Kennen can only nod. Nothing good will come out of incurring the Fire Sorceress' wrath. She dismisses him, complaining about a headache she has and the Peace Keeper leaves soundlessly.

* * *

The very next day, he makes his way to the border. Whether or not Lulu is annoyed by his presence or troubled by it, she does not tell him. As for him, talking to the Fairy has given him a great deal of comfort.

She arrives just like she did when they last met there. Like always, she mimics the way he sits down on the border soil, with her staff in front of her.

"I see you have found pleasure in my company," she remarks as she stares at him.

Kennen shrugs. "It's better than being alone."

"Why are you alone then?" She asks abruptly. "Is it because you wish to be alone or is it because you are alone?"

He is caught unaware of her question, like a deer in headlights. Pondering about his solitude is not something he has considered doing. While he can't be considered anti-social, he also doesn't fall under the category of a people's person. He knows no one outside his Peace Keeper comrades and the Fire Sorceress, except for the Fairy before him.

That realization barely gives him an answer to Lulu's hanging question. He fidgets his thumbs and mutters, "I don't know." After a while, he continues, "The people of the East are both amiable and disagreeable. But I have yet to know who is who."

She exhales. "And thus you are alone."

"What about you?" Kennen asks her. "Are you alone?"

"No," she replies immediately with a hint of humor in her voice. "I have my cats. My subjects are all amiable if you try to understand them."

He is incredulous. "All of them are amiable?"

"To be able to rule, one must learn to understand first," Lulu narrates, but he can tell that the conversation has caused a spark of interest in her. "When you understand one, you will be able to see what is amiable and always hold that person in that light."

"How then is one going to upset the infamous Wicked Fairy?" He asks jokingly. The moment her face turns sad, he regrets ever opening his mouth to ask such a question. She has been very passive, except for a few occasions, but at those occasions, he can see the eyes of someone who has seen a lot and felt a lot.

And he envies her.

His life seems monotonous compared to what he has seen in that second's respite.

"I do not wish to talk about it."

At this Kennen nods. He doesn't expect her to trust him so easily and openly. She must have her prejudices against the people of the East. So he decides to take it slow. "Why are you called a fairy?"

Almost automatically, her face becomes passive once more and he cannot see what lies behind her bright eyes. "It is because of my stature," she replies apathetically and in any other occasion, he would have laughed. "There are a lot of towering beings in this world and I am one of those who are not blessed in that area."

"But we're nearly the same height," he points out.

"It also has something to do with my abilities," she clarifies. "They said that I am too small to be considered a witch."

The next question comes out of his mouth almost unwillingly. "Are you and the Fire Sorceress, enemies?"

Her eyes turn soft, nostalgic and longing. "No. She is merely afraid. My abilities are unknown to her and she does not… understand them. She is afraid of me because I am an unknown variable to her."

"Have you tried…" he tries to choose his words carefully. Despite the fact that Lulu will undoubtedly understand what he means, he doesn't want to look like a fool who can't say out his thoughts properly. "Have you tried reconciling with her?"

"No," she replies; it surprises him. "She has never wanted to reconcile in the first place. When she brought my cat to me, I knew that she didn't want me going into the East anymore."

"But wasn't the black rain you sent harmful?" He tries.

Lulu shakes her head. "The rain was the announcing of my coming. The East does not welcome me and thus, it harms me. I had to make sure that I would be safe even if I go there. The Fire Sorceress knew of this and she…" her tone becomes sorrowful, "she took it upon herself to make sure that I would never be able to set foot into her domain. I would have made peace if she welcomed me, but I am weary of trying."

A long stretch of silence passes through them. The trees, that are alive in more ways than one, sway to the wind that blows silently. She emits the feeling of being melancholic and Kennen cannot help but point the accusing finger towards himself. He decides that he should leave and so he's on his feet.

"I will be going now, Lulu," he says. "I am sorry for making you sad."

"It's nothing to fret about." In an instant, her face brightens up, but he can tell that the sorrow and despair are still present in her eyes. "It has been a long time since I have been sad."

* * *

The sound of bells makes him stop his actions at the whetstone. He puts down one of the throwing stars and grabs the one Lulu gave him. It has been an instinctive action, to get the steadfast weapon even when not in danger.

He opens the door and likewise, a black cat with a pink ribbon and bright yellow eyes sits there. It circles once, twice and three times in place before pointing its head towards the direction of the border.

Kennen would have wanted to feed the cat milk, but the cat meows urgently and impatiently before pointing towards the direction of the border again. Left with no choice, he steps out and closes the door behind him.

Stretching out his hand, the Peace Keeper tries to pick up the cat and carry it through the journey to the border, but it hisses, as if offended and meows shortly before pointing its head towards the border again.

Unceremoniously, the cat begins to run through the snow. Its eyes mirrored urgency, but it looked quite capable enough to reach the border on its own. The first cat he escorted back to the border didn't look smart enough to know what urgency is. This one seems a bit different. He follows the cat, a tingle in his spine tells him that there's something this particular black feline wants from him.

It takes him through the same route the Peace Keeper used when he first came to the border. It jumps through trees in the exact same fashion as if its mimicking the first cat Kennen was with. The cat is also black, with the same ribbon, the same bell around its neck and the same bright yellow eyes that mirror the Fairy's. But he can't shake the feeling that it's a different cat.

The last tree that separates the East from the border is what stands between the cat and the cracked earth. It stops on a high branch and turns back to the Peace Keeper, as if they're companions. It meows again and cocks its head towards the border. Sitting down, it waits expectantly for him.

As if on cue, he lands on the branch in front of the feline. It immediately jumps into his arms and meows once more, but this time it points to the West. The cat repeats the action until he jumps down the branch and onto the thin snow. For a moment, there is fear. He does not know what is happening next and a terrible sense of foreboding fills him. It's different from the first time he's ever gone to the border.

It's the feeling that something will change and happen. And for some reason, Kennen doesn't like it.

Impatiently, the cat scratches on his sleeves and left with no choice, he decides to jump down onto the border's cracked soil. The cat doesn't leave his arms and rather it meows to the West. It gives the impression of calling someone, quite similar to the first cat he brought to the border and yet something is amiss.

The trees part; their branches retract on themselves and tuck into the barks where they're from. Some of the trees visibly move from their place and it forms a clear path. Nothing is seen, save for the black soil and the fog beyond Kennen's line of vision.

Lulu's figure can be made out in the distance. She's sprinting towards the border, her hat bouncing out of her head with every step she makes. Her small figure dashes past the quiet trees and the flowers of assorted colors that he hasn't noticed before.

Something is different about this cat. The Fairy would not be ready to burst into tears otherwise.

Panting, her eyes land on the cat and with a shuddering breath she says, "You may enter the West…"

Immediately, the cat jumps from the Peace Keeper's arms and into the black soil of the West. She steps back and it stands on its two hind legs while the former grabs the latter's small paws; discarding her staff in the process.

Before his eyes, the cat turned into a Yordle, slightly taller than Lulu and dressed in white. His hat and cape obscure most of his face, save for his eyes: his eyes that gleam with a bright yellow. What were paws on Lulu's hands are now metallic fingers connected to the end of the white robe; concealing the arms.

For the first time since the few days he's met her, Kennen finally sees her smile. It reaches her eyes and contorts her lips with uncontainable happiness. The new figure clad in white is silent save for a few quick and labored breaths.

"Veigar…" she mutters in awe. Her tone is longing and exited and jubilant all at the same time. "It's really you…" her voice is quivering and her eyes are brimming with tears.

The white figure, the one called 'Veigar', tightens his grip on her small hands. "It's me…" his voice is small and a bit squeaky, but nonetheless tender and gentle. "It's me, my beautiful tulip…"

This white figure has not been mentioned in any of the lores circulating throughout the East. The feeling of being unwelcome dominates Kennen's trained senses. He feels irrelevant to the scene unfolding before him and it fills him with a small sense of fear; still he does not want to leave.

"It's been too long," Lulu mutters. "It's been too long since you were taken from me…" she breaks into tears and her eyes find purchase on Veigar's chest. She bawls and sniffs and sobs and cries. The white-clad Yordle wraps his arms around the Fairy and sighs in content.

He watches the scene in silence. The Yordle's small chest swells with pride as he contributed, at least the transport of the cat from the East to the border, to the happiness of his friend.

"I felt your power at work in one of the residents of the East," Veigar explains. "I followed it and led me to this Yordle." He gestures towards the Peace Keeper on the border's soil. The Fairy turns to him and smiles.

'Thank you, Kennen." Lulu walks towards him, but only manages a few small steps as she does not leave the perimeter of the West's soil. "Because of you, I am once more complete. I am once more with the one I love."

He shrugs. "There was something amiss with that particular cat; I did not expect it to be one of us," his gaze lands on Veigar and not a moniker comes to mind.

"It is something I would rather not tell you," she says, her tone carrying the gradient of relief and hatred. "There are sorrows that I would rather not share to people who respect the Fire Sorceress."

"Is he the one who came to you in the guise of a cat?" Kennen asks, referring to Veigar, to which she replies with a nod.

"I'm Veigar, the Evil White Mage," he introduces himself, but one can sense the hostility laced in his tone. One can easily mistake it for impoliteness, but the Peace Keeper knows better. The White Mage is under the impression that the Yordle from the East is harboring strong affections for his 'Beautiful Tulip'.

Shaking it off, he asks, "Did the Fire Sorceress grant you that title as well?"

"She grants titles to those she is afraid of," the Mage explains. "But she is hardly of any concern at the moment. It is wonderful to be back to the West, where I belong."

Kennen feels his heart drop a bit. Now that Lulu is happy, she could decide to not answer his calls anymore; Veigar doesn't look like he will allow anything of the sort to happen. He resigns himself to the fact that he might not be able to see her again, but consoles himself with the throwing star she gave him as a gift.

Just as he is about to leave with shattered hopes, she calls to him, "Kennen." When he turns to her, she continues with a smile, "You may enter the West…"

At that moment, black—the color of despair and everything that the Fire Sorceress is against—is more attractive than the snow and the blizzards and the warmth of her flames. The trees that dance and move to their will is more awe-inspiring than the snowflakes that settle on the blades of the dead tress at a winter gale's morn. In his eyes, the West looks a more habitable place than the East.

Small steps cause him to leave the border's soil and he finally crosses the thin line separating the lush grass from the dry and cracked earth. His feet feel light; lighter than it has. And he finds it incredulous given that he is already light in comparison to others. The fog lifts before him and he sees colors.

Every color found in the rainbow and every hue in between is manifested in the plethora of flora and the sounds of the fauna. A bubbling stream is heard and warmth envelopes the seemingly enchanted place.

Lulu turns to Kennen, smiles at him and says, "Welcome to the West."

* * *

**I originally intended for Lulu to have a moniker of "Wicked Witch of the West" but then she seemed to be better a Fairy than a Witch...**

**Lulu is too cute for that... XD**

**This was inspired by a picture I saw in the internet... XD**

**I thought of making Kennen and Lulu a couple here, but ultimately, Veigar and Lulu came out in the end... See what I did there? XD**

**Also if I somehow antagonized Annie here, I apologize. I did not mean to make her look bad, but I had to make some reason why Annie and Lulu here are not in good terms...**

**As for the monikers, I also don't know what the heck I did there... XD**

**So please do not hesitate to click the REVIEW button and feel free to convey your deepest darkest thoughts regarding the fanfic as it is greatly appreciated by the author... =D**

**See you in between pages again! =D**

**chquine_harvinellisse**


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